Friday, August 8, 2014

The Tamaulipas Most Wanted List Revisited

On April 11, 2014, the head of the PGR of Mexico, Jesús Murillo Karam, announced that the federal government would implement a new strategy to fight the violence taking place in the state of Tamaulipas. In the following days it was reported that Mexican federal forces deployed in Tamaulipas were seeking to arrest of twelve high priority targets from Los Zetas and the Gulf Cartel. The news site 24 HORAS went on to report the following names on the list:

From
Los Zetas

Omar
"Z-42" Treviño Morales

Sergio
"El Grande" Basurto Peña

Maxiley
"El Max/Z-19" Barahona Nadales

From the Gulf
Cartel

Juan Carlos "El
Chuma" de la Cruz Moctezuma

José Ismael
"Polimenso" Mendoza Falcón

Eduardo
Ismael "El Negro" Flores Borrego

José Antonio "La
Hamburguesa" Romo López

Carlos "Carlitos
Whiskies" González Escobar

Juan Manuel "Juan
Perros" Rodríguez García

"El Orejón/Ciclón 7"

"El
Comandante Paquito"

Juan Francisco "El Metro
103" Saenz Tamez

In the following weeks, members of Los Zetas and the Gulf
Cartel were arrested and reported to as high priority targets of the
government.However, in a number of
cases these individuals did not appear on the aforementioned list, something
that did not go unnoticed on the Borderland Beat forum.

On July 28, new articles reported "Two months after the
initiation of the new strategy of security in Tamaulipas, the federal forces
have detained seven of the 14 individuals that they identified as
priorities".What was previously
said to be a list of twelve was now reported as comprised of fourteen
individuals.

Further complicating the issue was the names of the seven
individuals that were captured, which are as follows:

From
Los Zetas

Fernando
"Z-16" Martínez Magaña

Juan
Fernando "El Ferrari" Álvarez Cortez/Francisco Ramírez Rivera

Ricardo
Enrique "Ricky" Santillan Trejo

From
the Gulf Cartel

Eleno
"Pantera 6" Salazar Flores

Juan Manuel "Juan
Perros/Pantera 11" Rodríguez García

Juan Manuel
"Juan Perros Sr." Rodríguez Rodríguez

Juan Pablo
"El Cherrys" Leal Gutiérrez

While Juan
Manuel "Juan Perros/Pantera 11" Rodríguez García appears on both
lists, none of the other six arrested individuals are found on the list
provided by 24 HORAS.There may be a
clue to the discrepancies, however.The
July 28 article refers to it being two months after the initiation of the
strategy.The 24 HORAS list was
published in mid-April, which would correspond to three months.Yet this graphic appears in the July 28
article, listing the initiation of the strategy as May 13.

From Milenio.com

So what are we to conclude?The difference between an April start date and a May start date is a
relatively minor matter at first glance and could be explained as a difference
between announcement and actual action, the existence of two very different
lists is not so easily overlooked.

The
most simple explanation would be that the very existence of the first list was
made up by 24 HORAS.As news agencies
try to out scoop each other, this does make sense, however, there is one
problem.It is hard to believe they made
up the existence of the list in the first place as an actual list has
emerged.

Maybe they were aware that a list was in existence and
decided to come up with the individuals they felt would be on the list.If that were the case, it would not be much
more of a step to believe that 24 HORAS received an unofficial list from
government sources, a rough draft of sorts, that would be heavily revised, thus
rendering the original list obsolete.

Yet there is another more sinister possibility.Obviously both articles reference the same
change in strategy.Yet, as mentioned before, there is a one
month gap between the 24 HORAS article and the alleged start of the strategy
mentioned in the newer articles. According to the above graphic, which is based on information
from Segob, Fernando "Z-16" Martínez Magaña and Juan Fernando
"El Ferrari" Álvarez Cortez/Francisco Ramírez Rivera were both
arrested on May 14.

Let us not be too cynical, these arrests were important and
the government should be commended for achieving them, yet neither appear on
the 24 HORAS list.Could it be that the
government, in celebration of their accomplishment, decided to call them high
priority targets and, in doing so, began to pain themselves into a corner?

It would be simple enough to add "Z-16" and
"El Ferrari" to the list, expanding it from twelve to fourteen
individuals and the subsequent arrest of "Juan Perros" would not be
an issue.Yet as more arrests were
achieved and celebrated as attacking high priority targets, the original list
would be rendered void.

Keep in mind, this is just a theory, but it is feasible that
the government, after randomly calling several other arrested individuals high
priority targets, reached a point in which they wanted to formalize their
achievements.Therefore, rather than
using the original starting date of the new strategy, a new date in May was
chosen in order to make the results appear to have occurred more quickly and
the original list was ignored in order to substantially increase the number of
targeted arrests achieved.

While this theory may be completely wrong, there are two
things that reinforce the possibility at the very least.As far as I am aware of, though the article
refers to their being fourteen priority targets, the identity of the other
seven individuals has not been published.With that being the case, the government has free rein to arrest an
individual and then announce that they were on the list as they see fit.

Then there is the matter of Juan Pablo "El
Cherrys" Leal Gutiérrez.Although he is well known online for the
videos and pictures he has posted, the general consensus among people who
follow the inner workings of the Gulf Cartel is that he is not much more
than a glorified sicario leader.The
fact that he is included on the list of priority targets is highly suspicious
and appears to be an effort to increase the success rate.Call it a conspiracy theory if you want, but
with all the smoke an mirrors that occurs in the narco wars, at least it is worth
considering.

Postscript: As I was writing the final draft of this article, it was reported that Javier Aldemar "El Comandnate Diablo" Morales Estrada was arrested. In the Milenio article about his arrest, he was called "one of the 14 priority targets identified by the federal government". If this is the case, he would be the eighth to be arrested. His inclusion on the list, in my opinion, meets the exact same criteria as "El Cherrys" and increases my skepticism even further.

Of course the government is doing such a fine job. They get it done. Just take Michoacan as an example, they did such a fine job, everything has been cleared up now , the problem is over, everybody is safe and and life is great. All your tourist be sure to go. You just have to use the governments way of measuring and calculating.

my conclusion is that I have never heard of any of these guys. The list seems watered down and represents of cartels breaking off or becoming weak. whick will mean more kidnappings, murders, extorsions, and stuff like that.

From the statistics, it seems that Zetas have successfully achieved judicial protection. Far less arrests of Z, and much lower priority targets that have been arrested. Either that or the leaders are better at getting away (which is 100% untrue)

Mexico's political system is embarrassing. Even their official stories make me want to back hand them for being corrupt scum bags.

I hope CDG prospers over Zetas.

The gulf of Mexico is shaped like a legless elephant, or a balaclava'ed sicario when lookingat it upside down.

Who cares if there is 12 or 14 on the list. What matters is that they are being taken out of circulation and that is a big PLUS for the EPN government and for humanity. No one will miss this scum. Keep doing you job EPN but FREE MIRELES!!!

Am I missing something or is the Tamaulipas government capturing CDG members and making them seem like bigger fish then they really are? I first noticed this a few weeks back when Eleno Salazar Flores or Pantera-6 was captured. The government clearly states he was one of the top 14 priorities to capture. But when you read the governments initial press release, his name is no where to be found! How about the supposed Comandante Diablo capture. We all know that this isn't the same Diablo who became famous for the execution videos. But what's the government do, they come right out and say that this is the Diablo from the videos. Then they mentioned that Diablo was one of the top 14 priorities, but again his name is nowhere to be found. The name Javier Aldemar Morales Estrada, or Comandante Diablo is never mentioned once as one of the most wanted CDG members. Am I missing something or is the government just trying to make themselves look good?

6:11pmYou are totally right the Mexican government is overhyping every capture that happens in Tamaulipas. For example, Pantera 6 was never mentioned until his captured. Pantera 6 held an administrative role with CDG, but he was portrayed as the baddest m%%% on earth.

it is like... Dr Mireles was in no list of priority targets...with so many criminals, with long criminal careers and a lot of experience, the governmemt will keep arresting other criminals not on the list, amd more criminals will be stepping up to cover for the loses, so don't worry about the sharp critics, they are probably just jealous of your new status, so don't even think of apologizing, nothing will make them happy, and they want to take over BB to carry on with their evil propaganda, they are more dangerous than narco-sicarios...

Great article and analysis. Each step of the way in the fight against these scum is crittically important. Their victims deserve nothing less than a complete and thorough police action. As for the government shenanigans with the list; they lost their credibity a long time ago. If they stumble upon a criminal then add him to the list as a victorious capture, so be it! As long as they jail real criminals then let them crow about how efficient they are, all that they want. Thanks to your reporting, we know the real deal.

Some of the Zetas that are not on the most wanted list just to name a few are Comandante Rama in charge of the Zetas in Tamaulipas. Coyote from the San Fernando massacres, El Dandy and Varo Puga both top Zetas from southern Tamaulipas. Also, Candado, Pancho Carreon, Cabeza de Marrano (still at large), Balatas, Rokolas, Barritas, and Demon just to name a few Z's.From CDG Chiricuas, El Señor Cortez, Salinas (Metro 32), Tachas, Gafe, toro, Chava 88, Lino, Negro Josue, Rayo, Babas, and Chucho just to name a few CDG leaders in Tamaulipas.

I agree with you completely. Why is El Coyote, San Fernando Plaza boss for Los Zetas not included on the most wanted list? I'll tell you why because the government refuses to admit they let him walk out of jail a free man only hours after his initial arrest! Look it up if you don't believe me it was posted on BB, this guy was arrested a little over a year ago and then a few hours later was released! This scumbag was directly involved with the massacre of over 350 innocent migrant workers traveling through San Fernando. It's mind-boggling how the government could arrest someone capable of doing an act like that, and then allow him to buy his way out of jail!

If the government is serious about this initiative, why is Senor Cortez and his son Commandante Junior nowhere to be found on the most wanted list? Junior is behind much of the recent violence in the northern part of the state. Senor Cortez has been involved with the CDG for over 20 years. He does whatever he wants and the government has done nothing about it. He's never even been arrested before. Senor Cortez has been involved with the infighting since day one. I guess the government doesn't view either Cortez as a priority as long as their getting their cut. I guess some things never change!

BS? Where do you see that? I'm pretty sure everything written in this article is based on fact, unlike your comment on El Grande being killed, which is nothing more than a rumor. You don't think the author of this article, heard that rumor to? Everyone heard the rumor about him being killed in Nuevo Laredo. But it was never confirmed by the government or even the cartel. That makes it a rumor, and this article only reports on events based on facts.

at 7:24 and 11:02, what about comandante R1. He was not in the list either. Is he still around in victoria? Pregunto porque es lo que dijieron ase tiempo que estaba en victoria y su nombre no aparece en la lista. Esta o no esta con el cdg o ya no es jefe de grupo?

My experience in Tamps. was always the Gulf cartel, but r they as bad as the Zetas r they all the same. The old leadership of the Gulf did not allow kidnapping. Does the Gulf Cartel have some new leader like the old guard, wants to just do busy. What cartel takes the lead they payoff Nieto.

C1 is now the main leader by his side is R1, L's, His son C2, Cyclones & more they been heating up the plazas in Reynosa so the goverment could come in & do the sweap for them. Its like this the govr. Makes some big arrest they get some good credit because of that & then they leave so then C1 has the whole plaza for him & both leave happily ever after. Tan Tan....

9:25 nobody has the zetas fame for killing innocent people, even before they went on their own, it is the legacy of their training, they don't give a fuck about anything or anybody, just their brodas, if they are lucky...--other cartels may be capable and do kidnapping and murder, but nobody do it like the zetas and genaro garcia luna, for ransom...

is itzli a boy or a girl?havana banana, i hope you are growing a thick skin and come back some day, we can get along here, see chivis, a "republican" with some real corriente habits who gets along with us, enough to let us badmouth the corrupt majority of republican hypocrites who are worse than aaall the corrupt democrat millionaires put together...

"Y tu como sabed que el R1 esta muerto? Pon pruebas, fechas, datos, fotos que confirmen tu informacion"Are you for real?My opinion is,muertos.Your opinion is viva,por favor proporcione pruebas de lo contrario,facts,dates,photos,to confirm your"opinion"i will happily abide by the data you provide.In the meantime is it alright if we speculate on whether R1"El Quique"is alive or dead?Maybe he is alive and working with CDS or CT or on the down low in CV?Speculation and opinion?Whatever..